Kirkham Lake Fishing near Sharbot Lake, Ontario

• Overview

  Frontenac County, Ontario, is where Kirkham Lake sits. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. Roughly 12 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.3 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Ontario listings. Sharbot Lake is the closest town at 14 km. Then Perth, 31 km, and Carleton Place, 47 km. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Kirkham Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Frontenac County include pumpkinseed, bluegill and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Kirkham Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 20°C; the cold one sits at -10°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Kirkham Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, McDougalls Mud Lake is 3.6 km distant. The position on Kirkham Lake is worth confirming on the day.